The Goddess of Caldos
by RosyRock
Summary: The fires of Beltane are about to be lit on Caldos. A gentle pc Romance. Continued in the sequel the fruits of the Goddess RatedM


Disclaimer: Paramount owns them all. I just lure them into a static warp bubble, where anything goes!

This is more P/C from me. A gentle love story inspired by the mists of my people's ancestral lands.

I have such a good time keeping TNG alive with our stories. Please let me know you think.

The Goddess of Caldos.

Beverly Crusher was returning to her Nana's home on Caldos. It was to be the first time she had returned since the events that had occurred after her Nana's death. She still was gripped with embarrassment every time that she thought about the Metaphasic entity, Ronan. She remembered the look on Jean Luc's face when he had caught her in the grip of Ronan's 'influence'. Fancy having your best friend catching you in the act with a 'ghost'!

As she packed for shore leave she sang an old Gaelic song her Nana had taught her as a child.

The door to her quarters chimed. "Come" she said and then returned to singing the song.

Jean Luc Picard entered his CMO's rooms. He could hear her singing in her bedroom.

"Beverly, I was just stopping by to see how you were going with your packing." he said.

Beverly poked her head around the corner, "Oh, hello Jean Luc! I'm almost finished!"

"What was that you were singing? I've never heard anything like it before." he asked.

Beverly laughed. "Just another one of my many hidden talents, Jean Luc. Actually it's an old Scottish Gaelic walking song called, "Mhorag's na horo Gheallaidh."My Nana taught it to me as a child."

Jean Luc smiled to himself. "I had no idea you spoke that ancient Earth language."

Beverly grinned. "Well, there's not that many of us left, and most of them live on Caldos. I was getting myself in the mood to return there. The Celtic spirit runs very deeply through the people of Caldos. It's about time that I gave in to the pull of my ancestors and spent some time there."

Jean Luc smiled at the red headed doctor. "Well it's the one place where you fit right in, with that hair of yours."

Beverly stopped packing and turned to him. "Would you like to spend some time there with me?"

Jean Luc was seriously tempted. Time alone in the beautiful Doctor's company was something he would really enjoy. "Well, I have made arrangements to visit the Setrian archeological sight on Setrus Prime. But maybe I could drop in on my way back for a week or so."

"That would be lovely Jean Luc, This time of year on Caldos is just wonderful, and there will be the Fires of Beltane for you to see." Beverly said.

Jean Luc thought for a moment. "I don't seem to recall that festival." he said.

The ancient Celtic Year was divided into four quarters. Beverly explained. "Each has their own unique celebration. The people of Caldos still keep the old ways alive. The fires of Beltane happen at the start Summer."

"Sounds Wonderful." He said.

Beverly nodded and finished her packing. This Shore leave was going to be very interesting,

she mused. Jean Luc had no idea what he was letting himself for.

After she had said her goodbyes and beamed down to the planet's surface, she set about putting her Nana's house to rights. She cleaned and swept until the house was exactly the way her nana would have liked it. She couldn't help a sad sigh as she sat at the table, a cup of herbal tea next to her. She missed her nana and the house was not the same without her.

The week passed without any trouble and Beverly had started to relax. Without the presence of Ronan in the house, it was peaceful and safe. Beverly gathered up her gardening equipment and went out in the warm sun to try and tame the overgrown patch had been her nana's front yard.

Jean Luc found her doing just that, the sunlight in her hair. He watched her secretly. He didn't often come across her like this, happy and carefree, dressed in a simple sundress. She hummed a little tune and absently pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. She also appeared to be having some trouble with the thin strap of her dress as it kept falling down her arm.

She was without a doubt the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

He gave a small cough and alerted her to his presence.

"Why, Jean Luc, you're early! I wasn't expecting you until next week!" she said as she ran to meet him.

"I could always leave and come back later," he said.

Beverly grinned impishly as if considering what he had said. "Oh well, you're here now, no point in leaving." She said at last.

She put her arm through his and led him into the house.

"I've made a bed up for you in my old room. There's a lovely view down across the fields." She said. "It's the first room you come to at the top of the stairs. You can't miss it it's full of all of my old junk. I'll make us some tea and then you can tell me all about your time on Setrus Prime.

Jean Luc went up the stairs and found the room just as she'd said. He put his bag down on the bed and looked around him. On the walls and dressing table was the history of Beverly's youth. A photo of a very young Beverly with her parents, School awards, the odds and ends of a teenage girl's life.

His eyes landed on a photo of a very handsome young man. Obviously an old flame.

He came downstairs and found Beverly in the house's small kitchen making tea the old-fashioned way- in a pot.

"I'm afraid there's no Earl Grey," she said with regret. I was going to get some for you at the markets next week, but I'll make it up to you by brewing you a cup of Nana's special blend my-self."

He took the tea and sat at the old table, sipping it as she went about getting some freshly baked cakes out of the old wood stove. _This is pretty close to heaven._ He thought to himself.

After their morning tea. They went for a walk around the village.

"So tell me, Beverly, what is this festival you were telling me about." He said curiously.

Beverly said, "Beltane is one of the major festivals of the old cycle of the year. It is a time of renewal, a time to celebrate the return of summer and the bounty of the land. Two large fire are built and lit. Everybody puts out the fire inside their house and then re-light them from the the Bel's fires."

Jean Luc was listening fascinated.

"The village erects a Maypole and the young men and women dance around it weaving the ribbons in and out. It is said that the pattern they make will indicate the abundance of the crops in the coming harvest. It is a time when the veil between the world of the Sidhe and our own world is very thin."

Jean Luc interrupted her. "The Sidhe?"

"That's the name for the fairy world" she answered.

Jean Luc smiled, how very quaint.

They continued walking and Jean Luc noticed that some of the doors of the village houses were decorated with garlands. "Why do some houses have flowers in the windows and doors?" he asked.

Beverly blushed. "That's the May boughing."

"What's that?" his interest was pricked now

"Well, when a man takes a fancy to a woman he can signal his interest by hanging garlands of flowers and Hawthorn branches on her door. They signify the blossoming of his sexual interest in her. They go into the woods on the Eve of Beltane and express their love for each other. It's a time to be passionate without the taboos of guilt and sin. " Beverly said. "Jean Luc, Beltane is a time to celebrate the fertility of the God and the Goddess, the crops and the people. In the old days many a baby was conceived by the light of the Beltane fires. The people just accepted it"

Jean Luc did some calculations in his head, "You're a Beltane child, aren't you?"

Beverly smiled and lowered her head. "Yes I am."

They returned to Beverly's house. There were no garlands on her door.

The week passed and soon it was the eve of the Beltane fires.

At sunrise, Jean Luc left the quiet house and headed out into the woods a short walk away. He went about picking the prettiest flowers and cutting the young wood from the Hawthorns that grew in the glade.

By the time he returned to Beverly's small house, he had fashioned a reasonable imitation of the Garlands he had noticed in the village. Using a fastener he attached the garland to Beverly's door.

Once he had finished, he set about making breakfast.

The smell of eggs cooking wafted up the stairs and awoke Beverly.

She pulled on her robe and made her way downstairs. She almost laughed out loud at the sight of her Captain scrounging around in her Nana's small kitchen. When he saw her approach, he gave her one of his rare full smiles. Beverly felt her heart flip over. For the millionth time she regretted her hasty dismissal of his attempt to further the relationship between them after their mental joining on Kes Prit.

"Beverly I've made you breakfast. Sit down." He said

"You must have been up early," Beverly said. "I sleep so well here that I didn't hear you."

"I'm surprised at that," he laughed, "I made enough noise down here to wake your neighbours.

Beverly smiled at him as he put a plate in front of her. "Wow, This is very good!" she said her mouth full of eggs.

"I _can_ do more than just Captain a starship you know," He joked.

He sat down at the table. When she had finished, he said softly to her, "There's something I want to show you." Taking her hand he led her to the front of the house.

Beverly gasped when she saw the garland of flowers woven into the Hawthorn boughs

hanging on her front door.

Jean Luc gently turned her towards him. Taking her hands in his he looked into her eyes and placed a loving kiss on her lips.

"Beverly, I know a man that would like nothing more than to declare his interest in you on this Beltane Eve." He said softly.

Beverly blushed, it was now or never. "Why wait until tonight?" she said

She took his hand in hers and turned back to her house.

The Goddess of Caldos looked out from behind the thin veil of the Sidhe and smiled.


End file.
